Press Releases

Intel Committee Ranking Member Schiff Statement on Release of Business Meeting Transcript

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after HPSCI posted the transcript from Monday’s business meeting:

“The February 5, 2018 transcript of the HPSCI hearing in which the Democratic response was voted out of Committee reveals several important points:

“First, Chairman Nunes refused to answer multiple inquiries as to whether Majority Members or staff consulted or worked with the White House in the conception, planning or publication of their memo alleging wrongdoing at the FBI and DOJ. Just before gaveling the session to a close, the Chairman did read out a brief statement that, ‘there was no involvement in drafting the memo with the White House.’ This carefully worded statement suggests the White House may have had a role in the planning of the memo, just as it did the Chairman’s March 22nd White House press conference claiming he had evidence of illegal unmasking.

“Second, the Chairman violated Committee rules by initiating an investigation of the FBI and DOJ without consulting with the Minority and refuses to disclose further investigations he may be pursuing. The Chairman refused to answer repeated questions regarding the scope and contours of his recently-announced ‘phase two’ investigation into the Department of State, which was first revealed during a Fox News appearance.

“Third, during the meeting the Minority also raised serious concerns about the process by which the Majority’s memo was reviewed, and the Committee’s plan to request the involvement of appropriate law enforcement entities in the review of the Democratic memo. Fearing that the White House would seek to make redactions to the Democratic response for political, rather than national security reasons, the Minority informed Members that it had proactively provided the Democratic response memo to the FBI and DOJ in advance of transmittal to the White House so that they might review for any concerns about sources and methods not already revealed in the Majority’s memo. The Minority specifically asked that the DOJ and FBI be involved in the review process and that any redactions be justified in writing with the requesting office or agency identified.

“Finally, Democrats also used the business meeting to highlight the many areas in which the Majority has failed to follow sound investigative practice – by refusing to schedule key witness interviews, failing to follow up on document requests and refusing to bring back certain witnesses. The Minority continues to press the Majority to follow the facts wherever they lead, and we hope that they will refocus their efforts on this critical investigation, rather than an attempt to undermine Bob Mueller.”